politics

Abe: Japan won't join U.S.-led military operation against IS

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Leaving the US to do the heavy lifting as usual. What a weasel!

At least some of the Europeans are helping out this time. And Canadians and Australians as well. Meantime the allies who are most dependent on Middle East oil - Japan and Korea - sit back and insert their thumbs ever more deeply.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Question: Which countries are behind the cause of ISIS being formed in the first place?

Answer: The ones that should clean up the mess.

To be fair, they are making some progress. Life as an ISIS member is losing it's glamour fast.

And they've failed in Kobane too apparently.

http://www.businessinsider.com/isis-is-on-a-rough-day-2015-1

Going up against a seasoned enemy fighting for their homeland = not very bright. (Actually, joining the ISIS = not very bright)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

livinginnagoya:

Democracy, humanitarianism and peace are universal stuff that can never be passing whims. So it's the other countries that should emulate Japan's pacifist constitution, and not vice versa.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Get rid of Article 9. It was made over 75 years ago. Japan and the world has long since changed!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Abe just follow the rules it is natural to fight his freedom of choice!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Is Abe a... coward? Why is he appearing to be backing down from his oft stated desire to take off Japan's military shackles, freeing Japan to again take its rightful place on the world stage as a Power to be reckoned with? The time is now -- it is right now, in the midst of this crisis, with Obama urging him on -- that Abe has the Golden Opportunity to step forward and take Bold Action to show Japan's true colors! Show the colors, Abe!

But Abe... retreats. Does this mean that Abe might also start toning down his very necessarily provocative statements and actions against China and Korea, both of whom Japan just about trounced in WWII -- and would have, were it not for Japan's terrible misstep of bombing Pearl Harbor too early, thus drawing America into the war too early? Or... could it be that Abe is NOT retreating, but, following the strategies of the Old Master, he is, in fact, attacking from another direction? Wily old man, Abe is...

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

No government has the correct answer at this moment to deal with these crisis'. Only through standing together as allies will the world overcome this terror.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Meanwhile, Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the small opposition People’s Life Party, told NHK, that the government appeared not to know how to respond to the hostage crisis. “I think it’s unavoidable if they (Islamic State) took this as support for their enemies and view Japan as an enemy,” Ozawa said.

Ozawa is correct, pains me to admit it. You should have left politics a long time ago and went for your own Sunday morning political/social agenda based TV program. You could have used your talents to enlighten the citizens of Japan and help educate the masses and transform Japan into a real democracy instead of it's current plutocratic lead system. Too bad for Japan you instead chose to waste your political career tearing everything you touched apart in your ambition to become Prime Minister of Japan.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It is very understandable as long as Japan still has article 9.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Oh? Japan isn't going to play world police with the US? Kind of a good idea.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I'm reminded of a bosozoku punk who wants to run with the yaks, but gets a chastening scare.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

SMH at this cowardice. Maybe Abe will reverse the decision, however, when the public is done being terrified on this hostage drama.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I am surprised he didn't...strange... I am now scared that he will need something in Japan to happen in order to accelerate that constitution change.. :/

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Of course,stay as far away as you can from this !-But remain vigilant as to who gets in Japan & Enforce a Strict Policy of Immigration from the Mid-East Countries.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

By the way, there is a serious error in the first sentence of this article: it should read "Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday said that HE did not intend to join the U.S.-led military operation against Islamic State, but wanted to continue to provide humanitarian aid." Many Japanese, myself included, have never supported him.

I love this guy!!! That is a very good point....me neither aye?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

It is amazing to see Ozawa is correct !

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

It is too late. It cannot erase his stupidity which caused the trouble.

-5 ( +4 / -7 )

Not part of the solution = part of the problem.

It's nice to take the humanitarian high road and appear to be the Saint. It's a comfortable, safe position to take. Especially when your focus is only your own society and profit. However people are able to recognize apathy.

This approach will not give Japanese a walking pass through the valley of the shadow of death.

4 ( +6 / -3 )

It's good that Abe seems to have learned some lesson. He is yet to reap what he sowed, though. By the way, there is a serious error in the first sentence of this article: it should read "Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday said that HE did not intend to join the U.S.-led military operation against Islamic State, but wanted to continue to provide humanitarian aid." Many Japanese, myself included, have never supported him.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

If Japan's pacific constitution is taken teeth out of by removing its war-renouncing provision and if the U.S. asks Japan to assist them in their military operations anywhere in the world, can Japan turn down the request?

Japan is asking the U.S. for help to solve the hostage crisis. In what way, will the U.S. help Japan when it is actually engaged in war against the ISIS?

This hostage crisis will certainly put PM Abe's agenda of constitutional revision to he test.

-4 ( +0 / -5 )

It is a smart choice. I think the only time Japan should take this kind of action is if an attack happened on their soil, and I hope that will never happen. France, Canada, UK, Australia etc have had terrorist attacks on their soil so its pretty much a given.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Maybe Japan will join a Chinese-led military operation against IS.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Well, nice to see Abe is sticking to the constitution here. Ozawa, while typically a blow-hard most of the time is right, however, it's rather easy to understand why they don't know how to respond, they always seem to have their heads in the sand when it comes to international issues and always seem to think that Japanese are immune in some way.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

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